Getting Over And Moving On
by neechan neko
Summary: Akane could not get over, and some things just continue to remind her of Kougami. Ginoza and Dime might just help her deal with it. And meanwhile, Kougami does not heed Shion's advice of saying his goodbyes to Akane in person, and escapes in the break of dawn. This story is a sequel to "Shion's Unexpected Visitor."
1. Chapter 1

_**This is my second Psycho-Pass fanfic, and a sequel to "Shion's Unexpected Visitor."**_

 _ **The premise of the first part of the fic goes between Kougami and Shion. I tried another interaction with them again. I took the liberty to make a fic of them after Episode 18 and after Psycho-Pass radio dramas 2 and 7. It seems Shion really likes to pick on Kougami and tease him or slave him around. Check out "Men's aesthetics: Glasses chapter, 24 hours a day" and "The doggy policeman, 24 hours a day."**_

 _ **The second part of the fic is about Tsunemori Akane and her thoughts on Kougami, with Ginoza and Dime at the background.**_

~~.

It was three-thirty at dawn.

Kougami was up early because he had to go on with his plan of running away. But first, a nice cup of coffee will make him awake for the day.

In Shion's nice little kitchen, he made some coffee for him and Shion. He was grateful that she kept him for a night as a guest. He was sure that the lab analyst will keep his secret and not tell a soul about him and the bike he hid outside.

As he was pondering on his next move, a gentle feminine voice greeted him from the back.

"Good morning, Shinya-kun."

He turned around and smirked. Shion looked sleepy still, but had gone up for whatever reason that had jolted her to wake up. Shion wore a pink silk nightie with the hem three inches above the knee. He studied her as Shion covered her lips to let out a yawn.

"Good morning, Shion," Kougami replied. "You woke up so early."

"I should ask you the same," Shion said, bringing herself to sit on the chair across from where Kougami was making coffee.

"I need to go while it's dark," he grimly replied.

"I have figured," she told him.

"And hey, the bottles of wine," Kougami started.

Shion saw the bottles of wine on the sink. She remembered him and Kougami sharing wine and cigar the night before.

"And I cleaned up our mess… You know, the cigars and all," Kougami told her.

"Oh, shit, sorry for making you do that," Shion replied.

"That's okay," Kougami said. "I woke up early and cleaned the living room. Bottles, glasses, and all."

Shion's hand made its way to her head. "Itai…"

"I don't know wine could give you a hangover," Kougami teased her. "Or can you not handle it at all?"

"I can handle it, okay?" Shion replied with a smile. "It's just that… I just woke up too early, and it's still six hours before my actual waking time."

"Go back to sleep," Kougami informed her gently. "You don't need to look after me."

"I'll just go back to sleep when you're out," Shion told him. "You're my guest, remember?"

"Yeah."

When the coffee was done brewing, Kougami prepared two cups and poured coffee on each.

"Hey, you want creamer and sugar on yours?" he asked.

"Nah, I want it pure and bitter," Shion said.

"Pure and bitter. I like the sound of that," Kougami said with a smirk. "We sure are friends, are we?"

"Hm?"

"We both like our coffee pure and bitter."

"Yeah…"

Kougami carefully placed a cup where Shion was seated, and he also placed a cup across hers. He grabbed the chair from across and took his place. Shion reached for her cup, but because it was still hot and the air was chilly, she just let the warmth of the cup warm her cold fingers.

"Are you sure that… You won't get a peek on any of your former colleagues?" Shion asked him for the last time.

"Why does it sound like you're forcing me to face them?" Kougami asked, his voice huskier than ever. "Tsunemori will only cling on to me if I do that."

"Why are you saying goodbye to me in person, then?" Shion asked, her voice calm and collected as ever.

"Well, because I think you are not one to hold on to a person, someone who doesn't get in the way of what the other person wants," Kougami said.

"Not getting in the way?" Shion asked. "I wondered if you noticed that I sometimes pull you out of your quarters to help me up with some bunch of stuff, some of them transferring useless things."

"I noticed that," Kougami said.

"Remembered one time I had you help me clean up a warehouse? Ginoza chided me after that because you came in late."

"Well, what you had me do was reasonable," Kougami said as he grabbed his cup. "But after that, you did not bug me into more things that you can handle."

"Come on, Shinya-kun, don't be rude. You can properly say goodbye to Akane. The two of you were, like, the bestest of friends in the field," Shion replied.

Kougami sipped through his mug before putting it down. "I already said my goodbyes to her. In a letter."

Shion cocked her head. In a letter? Kougami told her that Akane and he had a talk, but he did not divulge what it was.

"Well, I guess that letters have more weight sometimes," Shion said before sipping from her cup.

"That's why I wrote it."

"Uh, hey, Shinya-kun, sorry for letting you sleep in the living room," Shion told him before biting her lower lip.

A smirk lit up Kougami's handsome features, "No worries. This bull can definitely handle anything, no matter how harsh."

After a few minutes of chit-chat, Kougami stood up and placed his cup on the sink.

"Don't bother with that," Shion told him. "I'll wash it."

"Thanks."

Shion's gaze followed the former Enforcer to the dining room, then to the living room. She stood up, her footsteps hastening. If she could only slow down time, she would, just so she could get a glimpse of Kougami longer. She watched him grab his bag from a couch, which he had brought along with him yesterday. Shion went near him and followed him to the door.

"I'll be off now," Kougami whispered.

Whispers were all they could pass between the two of them for precautionary measures.

"Thanks for everything," he addressed her.

"I hope we'll get to see each other again and smoke like the old times," Shion told him. And with her voice turning soft, she told him again, "And hey, thanks for… everything… as well."

Kougami smirked. Shion had gotten what she wanted from him. Though they were only friends, Kougami granted Shion's "wish." He stood still as Shion tiptoed to give him a kiss on his cheek.

"Take care, and don't get caught," she told him.

"Yeah, take care too. And please take care of Akane for me," he requested her.

"Anything for you, Shinya-kun. Goodbye."

"Goodbye, Shion."

And that was the last thing she ever heard from him. Shion watched him walk out the door, out of her house, and into the dark lane where he parked the motorbike.

~~.

Division 1 in MWPSB were less busy than usual, but they still had tasks. In the middle of the tasks, however, Akane would stop to look at the empty seats in their area. Kougami's ashtray and a pack of SPINEL was still on his desk. Kagari's red game console was still sitting along with some pack of candies. Only Masaoka's seat had been completely vacated, mainly because Ginoza kept his otousan's stuff and kept them in his place in the Enforcers' dorm. The new inspector, Shimotsuki Mika, had taken her place comfortably.

"Shouldn't we clean up Kougami and Kagari's areas?" Yayoi suggested. "The new enforcers are set to arrive either later this day or tomorrow."

"I'll take care of Kougami-san's stuff, you take care of Kagari's," Akane told her.

The ponytailed pale girl stood up and began to gather the stuff of her former colleague. Though she and Kagari were of the same age, Kagari often acted childishly, so she was like the oneechan. She sighed. She did not think she could ever get used to this. With so many losses, though, she did not think she could ever get immuned. Yayoi sighed again as she went to her cubicle, Kagari's toys and candies around her arms.

From where she sat, Mika saw her crush looking forlorn. She had no idea regarding Yayoi and Shuusei's dynamics, but it seemed the two were close friends. If only she could do something to ease the other woman's pain…

Akane stood up and dragged her heels towards Kougami's place. Her fingers trailed the outline of the letters of the cigarette brand. The brand itself became synonymous to Kougami, it seemed to her. And just as she finished spelling out the letters in her finger, a familiar ache made it through her chest. The same ache began to choke her throat, a sensation hit her in the head. In the eyes. And a tear began to fall. The pain was smothering her over and over and over again, ever since Kougami left.

Why did Kougami have to do that, she asked herself. Why did he break his promise?

"Tsunemori?" a familiar voice, but a gentler version, called out to her.

She turned around and saw a calm Ginoza, standing right behind her, staring at her.

"Are you okay?" he asked her.

Ever since the death of Masaoka-san, and after he was demoted to be an Enforcer, Ginoza had calmed down, ironically. His Psycho-Pass had clouded, his Crime Coefficient had raised, but he had come to terms with it and had grown milder with Akane. She welcomed that change in him.

"No…" a hurt in her voice was obvious as day.

Akane grabbed the ash tray and the pack of cigarette from Kougami's desk and brought these with her to her cubicle. The Enforcer gathered the other items from Kougami's desk and brought them to Akane's desk.

"Thank you, Ginoza-san," she weakly replied, staring at the piles of paper in his arms.

The Enforcer silently placed them on the other side of the desk to avoid crowding and getting in the way of Akane's work.

"Hey, this evening, I might walk my dog," Ginoza started a conversation.

"You have a dog?" Akane asked, turning to him.

"I guess I haven't shared it to you, have I?" the Enforcer calmly said. "Yes, I have a Siberian husky, and I will be bringing him to the soccer field to play catch. Wanna tag along?"

Akane turned her attention back at the cigarette pack sitting on her keyboard.

"Yeah…" without looking at him, she replied.

~~.

Akane went with Ginoza in his car, and the first destination they went to was a convenience store. From there, Akane only got out, leaving Ginoza to wait for her. She entered the store and bought a lighter. When she got back to the car, Ginoza eyed the lighter curiously.

"You don't smoke, do you?" he asked.

"Yeah, I don't," she replied. "I just needed this to…"

But she didn't have to explain. Why would she ever explain? She just wanted people to leave her alone in her sadness. But Ginoza did not press any longer. He had an idea as to what Akane had in mind. He knew she just would use the cigarette she got his morning and the lighter, for them to burn like candles, something that will remind her of Kougami. His eyes, his gaze, his voice, his stance, his attitude, all of him could be everything with just the scent of the cigarette smoke. Ginoza knew how much Kougami meant to Akane. Akane's feeling of betrayal, he had that too. For him, Kougami betrayed her just as he betrayed him. Kougami betrayed the two of them. But Akane's feeling was somewhat new, unlike his that had gone on for years ever since Kougami had been labeled as a latent criminal by Sibyl. Both of them experienced losses, and were trying to deal with it.

"Shall we go now?" Ginoza asked gently.

"Yeah…"


	2. Chapter 2

Ginoza invited Akane over to his place for a bit.

"Are you hungry?" he asked her.

Akane saw that it was past seven already, and that she was starting to get hungry. Her stomach began to grumble and protest the lack of food for five hours already, but she was being polite and did not want to bother Ginoza.

"But Dime…"

"Dime can wait," Ginoza said. "I will cook first before we take him out for a walk."

"Thanks, Ginoza-san," Akane said. "You are so kind."

Ginoza smiled and went on his task on preparing dinner for him and his guest. Akane left the Enforcer alone to do what he had to do and approached the wooden kennel where Dime was situated. The tan-and-white Siberian husky stood up and wagged its tail in anticipation, a grin on its face, its tongue sticking out.

"Hello, Dime," Akane greeted with a smile.

The dog barked happily and moved forward. Akane placed a hand inside the cage and touched the dog on its nose. Dime moved his head up and began licking Akane's hand.

"Such a good boy," Akane talked to the dog.

Ginoza walked from the kitchen to the dog cage. He saw the Inspector sitting on the floor, playing with his dog. A smile lit up his face to see the Inspector looking at peace while interacting with an animal.

"That dog… was given to me by my obaachan (grandma) when I was young," Ginoza shared. "That was to prevent my Psycho-Pass from getting clouded."

Akane turned to look at Ginoza with a sad face.

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"Why?"

"Your Psycho-Pass had been clouded now," Akane replied.

Ginoza lit up a small smile on his face. "I know. But Dime still kept me at ease. He sometimes remind me of Kougami."

The mention of the name was enough to dull Akane's bright mood earlier. She turned her attention back to the dog.

"Kougami-san?"

"The dog is intelligent and strong," Ginoza said. "And very loyal."

"Kougami-san isn't loyal," Akane replied, looking back at him again.

But Ginoza could see past Akane's feeling of betrayal.

"I don't know how it all ended between the two of you, the conversation the two of you had before he left, if he had it with you, but Kougami might actually be doing you a favor."

"Favor?" she turned to him, her eyebrows crossed now.

"Yeah. He knew that he had to do what he had to, and we can no longer do something about it. Even if we are given orders to hunt him down, even with the help of Shion, we might not track him down still. Maybe he's doing that to protect you, to protect your Psycho-Pass. That's the favor I'm talking about."

Akane felt the wetness on her hand, and the gentle bite the dog was giving to her. She felt ticklish because the dog was lapping her palm. Yet, her vision was still pinned at Ginoza.

"We… have things that remind us of him," she told him in her sad voice.

"I know," Ginoza replied. "But then, Dime isn't just all about Kougami to me. He also reminds me of my obaachan, and all the things I could have been if I hadn't been an Enforcer. But now, coming to terms with it, Dime is my stress reliever. I am glad to have him around."

"Do you think I can get a dog too?" she asked him, imploring through his gentle eyes.

But Ginoza, a holder of a Dog Therapist's License, did not respond. He knew that while Akane could make use of the companionship of an animal, his therapeutic approach might not work on hers.

"Well, I guess… I might not need a dog," Akane answered her own question. "Or even a cat."

"While you're contemplating as to what you really want," Ginoza informed her. "I will continue cooking so we could eat."

"Of course, please go ahead," Akane said.

~~.

Ginoza fed Dime before he had his dinner together with Akane. And Akane offered to wash the dishes for him because she had felt indebted to his kindness. Much as he refused to do so, because this was his apartment space, Akane replied that she wanted to. It was her way of giving back to him.

Finally, the two stepped out with the dog. Akane was still in her formal working attire, while Ginoza wore a sporty attire. He knew that once Dime is out in the open, nothing's gonna stop the dog from running away, and Ginoza needed to be flexible enough to catch his dog. While struggling to hold the leash and keep his dog close to him, Ginoza snatched something from his right pocket and did his best to open the door of his car.

"You look like Dime is gonna run away with you," Akane chuckled, feeling sorry for her Enforcer. "I won't mind driving for you."

Ginoza stopped on his track, and turned to Akane with eyes wide open. "What?"

"Please?"

Ginoza pursed his lips before replying, "How can I let my boss drive for me?"

"Ginoza-san, out of work, we're just two friends," Akane assured him. "There's no Enforcer nor Inspector. So let me drive for you while you keep your dog in check."

Ginoza nodded thoughtfully and handed the keys to Akane. For Akane, Enforcers were worthy of respect as well, and he could now understand why she became fast friends with Kougami, and Kougami opening up to her. Maybe, in that span of time too, Akane had fallen in love with Kougami. It was quite obvious.

"Thanks heaps," Akane cheerfully replied as she took the keys. She opened the door to the back passenger seat so Ginoza can get in with his dog.

Dime barked in delight, finally being able to get out and roam around. Ginoza stepped in the back seat and waited as Akane closed the door for him. And on the other hand, Akane opened the door to the driver's side and stepped in.

"To the soccer field, you say?" she asked him for verification.

"Yes, please," Ginoza replied.

Akane closed the door and turned on the ignition. As she started to drive, she became startled when Ginoza's mobile phone (not the electronic bracelet he used for work) rang.

"Yeah, Shion? What's up?"

Akane looked through the rear-view mirror. She could see Dime panting happily, and she could see Ginoza smirking while talking with Shion in his phone.

"Sure, bye," Ginoza told Shion before hanging up.

Akane smiled awkwardly before starting up a convo.

"I didn't know you and Karanomori-san are fast friends," Akane told him.

A smirk lit up Ginoza's handsome face, "Yeah, we're… making a fast connection. That's good, right?"

"Yeah, I guess so," Akane replied.

Not knowing what else to talk about, Akane shifted to what she thought was a safer topic.

"What do you think of the new Enforcer that is assigned to us?" Akane asked him.

"Hinakawa?" Ginoza asked. "He's a shy kid, I could sense that. As to work, I could see he'll do a good job."

"He's said to be good with holograms and such," Akane replied. "We might make use of that skill someday."

"There will also be another Enforcer to be assigned to our Division, though I have not the slightest idea as to who it will be," Ginoza informed her. "Aoyanagi did not even said that there will be Enforcers transferred from their division to ours."

Akane decided not to entertain the thought of a new Enforcer. Her mind was on the road, and her life, as well as that of Gino and Dime, were in her hands. Ginoza, meanwhile, continued to study Akane. Why did it seem like she was carrying something that she did not want anybody to help her with?

~~.


	3. Chapter 3

Dime was running along the smooth green yard of the soccer field, with Ginoza chasing far behind. He was calling after his old dog, which still ran like a pup.

"Dime! Come back here!" Ginoza shouted while waving a frisbee.

He wanted to play catch with his dog, but his dog had other plans. Because of the agility and speed of the dog, Ginoza ran like he was chasing a train, and tripped on his shoes. He fell face-down on the grass, much to his disappointment. He really hated it whenever it happened to him. It made him look like a loser. Also, he was hoping Akane would not laugh at him. He turned his head up and looked at his dog far away.

"DIME!" he screamed in frustration. His face had been distorted into one of annoyance. The dog came back to its owner and licked the man's hair. It also licked its owner on the face.

Meanwhile, Akane, who was seated on the bleachers, had her vision far away towards the lights in the soccer field. She did not notice Ginoza tripping and Dime running back to lick his owner. Her thoughts were far, far away, perhaps already reaching far beyond the mountains, or into the sea, or anywhere where she thought that Kougami would be.

Teardrops started to fall from her eyes as the pain of losing him choked her like a tight necklace. His betrayal was enough to make her wear a mask where she could hide her tears or leave them unshed while looking into the eyes of her colleagues with a bright and sunny smile. Inserted between her index and middle fingers was a lit cigarette, letting some smoke waft towards her face. Beside her was a pack of SPINEL, and the lighter was on her other hand. It was true when Shion told her that the scent of someone could provoke memories.

The scent of the cigarette lingered in the air, being picked up by her nose, and tattooed into her mind. Even after Kougami would smoke, when he would take some time before lighting up another joint, his clothes reeked of the smell, and it became something so familiar to Akane. She knew that smoking, or inhaling its smoke, was bad for the health, but it was this killer that was making her alive during her times as a rookie Inspector. But now, this killer was an addictive reason for her to hang on.

"Kougami, why?" she whispered.

The pain became unbearable, and she wished she had not met Kougami to start with. As far as she knew, Kougami was someone who took her attention in just a day of interaction. He had that charisma that had her totally falling head over heels for him. And for her, Kougami Shinya was her first love. Is this the pain of first love?

"Kougami-san, I don't wish to meet you at gunpoint, when I had to kill you by orders. I am faithful to my duty to protect citizens, but please do not make me hate you," she murmured out loud.

If Ginoza had been beside her, he would have heard it. But no. By now, he was the one being chased by his dog.

"Kougami-san, I want to see you again. I want to see you in a neutral state, where neither of us have to eliminate each other. No, please. I love you so much that it hurts me," she went on.

The ashes of the cigarette butt began to fell slowly, until a small portion of the butt remained. But knowing that society hates littering, Akane took out an ashtray from the pocket of her small sling bag that she had with her. After extinguishing the last of the cigar, she retrieved another one and lit it up. She just wanted some reminder that can help her think of Kougami. She could not help it, nor does she want to admit it, but Kougami had her addicted to him.

"Tsunemori! Help!" Ginoza screamed from the center of the soccer field before bursting into laughter.

The scream shook Akane from her trance and looked far ahead. Ginoza was lying on the field, his dog pawing on his chest and licking him on the face. Akane pushed the butt of the newly lit cigarette into the ashtray, and put the tray down on the seat. Hastily, she descended from the bleachers and ran all the way to "rescue" him.

"Are you all right?" she asked in worry, though she needed not be. She just found out Dime was playing with his owner.

"Could you please carry Dime off of me first?" Ginoza begged.

She hadn't notice at all that Ginoza had been very messy because she was in her thoughts, but after his scream for help, it was the first time Akane saw this side of her Enforcer. Ginoza, who was stiff in the office, could be cute and adorable like this. She nodded and placed her arms around the huge dog, then pulled him off from his owner. Dime whimpered and wiggled under Akane's grasp, but it struggled and ran free from her grip.

"Dime!" she shouted at the dog.

She looked worried as the dog ran in circles and coming to a stop to bite the frisbee, which was left on the other side of the field. Then, her gaze shifted back at Ginoza, who was staring at her while panting.

"Thanks," Ginoza remarked before catching his breath.

Akane stretched out her hand so he'd grab her, but Ginoza shook his head.

"No, I am full of Dime's saliva, and I'm a mess," he replied before catching his breath. "Damn, that dog sure is free like the wind."

Free like the wind.

Just like Kougami, Akane thought.

Her thoughts flew back to Kougami as she watched Dime still biting and pawing at the frisbee, that she did not notice Ginoza helping himself to his feet. She only noticed he was up on his feet again when he ran over to the other side of the field to chase his dog. Him looking like that elicited, for the first time, an amused and genuine laugh from Akane. My, my, it had been weeks, probably, or months, since she laughed like that.

~~.

Dime was already exhausted, so Ginoza carried his beloved dog inside of the car. The moment the dog hit the backseat, it closed its eyes to rest. Ginoza's shoulders slumped, and a sigh escaped his lips. Akane's watchful eyes looked at him before her lips open for a remark.

"You look so cute with Dime," she told him.

A small smile was painted on Gino's face as he opened the door for her.

"The word 'cute' doesn't suit me. It suits you, Yayoi, and Hinakawa," Ginoza replied.

It elicited another laughter from Akane, and to Gino, it was like soft snow fell down from the heavens and gently landed on a scorched earth.

"Thanks for accompanying me, Tsunemori," Ginoza told her.

"Akane," she said. "Call me Akane when we're out of duty."

"Okay," was Gino's laconic answer.

Akane's lips curved into a smile before getting in the car. Ginoza went inside as well and started his car.

"Akane, I hope you don't mind, but I'll be transferring over to my otousan's cubicle," Ginoza informed her, sounding nostalgic.

Akane gave him the go-ahead signal. It must have been hard for him too, she thought. She was wrapped up in her own misery that she never noticed that those left behind were also coping with the losses in their own team.

"Please be all right, Ginoza-san," Akane told him.

"Why?"

"Now that you've mellowed, you sometimes sound like your father, giving advice, looking after me," Akane said.

"I was the head of the team before my fall from grace," Ginozan replied, bitterness peppered in his words.

"Please don't say that," Akane told him, soothing his bitterness. "I still need you."

Those words sounded like a promise from her, like she promised that they will look out for each other.

"Thanks," Gino replied with a smile.

"But a part of you is still you, Ginoza-san," Akane told him. "You are obsessed in keeping my Psycho-Pass clear."

Gino smirked, his green eyes glancing at her for a bit before turning his attention back on the road.

"After I drop you off, sleep well, okay?" Ginoza advised her. "This is not coming from an Enforcer to an Inspector, but as someone who's concerned of you."

"Ginoza-san…"

"And don't light up a stick tonight, I implore you," he told her. "At least, when you sleep, please forget about Kougami."

Much as she didn't want to, but Ginoza's advice was sound.

"All right…"

~~.

Akane kept her promise. She did not light up a stick. However, thinking of Dime and Ginoza happily running around the soccer field made her realize she could have a therapeutic technique of her own, to clear her mind of Kougami.

If lighting up a cigarette is forbidden to her, she might as well use another mean to distract herself: exercise. So, in her little room, she did jumping jacks while listening to the music provided by her holo jellyfish.


	4. Chapter 4

_**(Here, I will be introducing an original character, since according to Wikia, Togane Sakuya joined Akane's team in the year 2114, though he had been an Enforcer for years. Also, I was confused because in the same source, in 2096, he was assigned to Division 1 (in the Work History), but in the the "History" part, it said that he joined Division 1 eighteen years later (2114). Also, let us not forget that Akane joined MWPSB in 2112, and Season 2 is more than a year later, when Togane joined, that is, 2114. Which means that the end of Season 1, when Kougami escaped, and the timeline of this fic, is 2113).**_

Two weeks had passed since Kougami left Japan. Shion never told a soul about it, not even Yayoi or Akane.

And at the same time, a constantly yawning Enforcer was assigned in Division 1. His name's Satoh Kenji, 24 years old, fresh out of Hikari no Sono Rehabilitation Center, the same center where Yayoi was once treated.

~~.

Mika was thrilled.

Today's her day off, and she shared the same off with Yayoi. Just for this week, these two share the same schedule, which made Mika's heart flutter. And today, Yayoi was going to hang out with her.

It was yesterday when she learned that Yayoi used to be a guitarist of a Sibyl-approved band. Shimotsuki Mika never knew about that until she saw Yayoi checking her electric guitar.

"I want to hear Kunizuka-san play," Mika told her Enforcer.

Yayoi nodded. The two of them agreed to meet at a park where people will hang out.

"But does Sibyl approve of a guerilla gig?" Mika asked.

"Yes, as long as the song is in accordance with the law," Yayoi solemnly replied.

"I've never been to a real rock concert, but a guerilla gig would be cool," Mika confessed, clasping her hands together in delight.

Mika already knew of Yayoi's relationship with Karanomori Shion, the lab analyst. Her radar was screaming loud and clear. So, tomorrow, she was going to snatch, or rather, borrow the Enforcer from the lab analyst. Mika was thrilled when Yayoi called her lover to say they can't meet tonight because she, Yayoi, had matters to attend to.

"Yeah, I'll make it up to you on Saturday," Mika heard Yayoi say over the phone.

Mika turned around to check if someone was sneaking up on them, only to see the silent Hinakawa staring back at her. She gave him a frown, and Hinakawa let go of the bowl, thereby spilling the remnants of his rice and some more pills. Mika sighed to see such a young man being addicted to medication, but the relief was that, Hinakawa just silently cleaned the floor without uttering curses.

And her thoughts got back to today. She made sure to dress up nicely so Yayoi could at least notice how cute she looked.

"Shimotsuki-san," a female voice called out.

Mika turned around and saw Yayoi coming near, a guitar bag hanging from her back. Yayoi still wore her dark trench coat. It seemed to Mika that black was the only color that Yayoi knew in her whole life, but then, she realized that it was because Yayoi is a rocker.

"Have I kept you waiting?" Yayoi asked. "I'm sorry for coming in late."

"No, I came a few minutes before you did," Mika replied, a blush creeping up her face.

Mika thought she recognized what seemed like a ghost of a smile on Yayoi's face.

"Oh, all right," Yayoi said. "By the way, I have an acoustic guitar here because I don't have some sound equipment with me. I hope that's fine with you."

"Oh, that's fine," Mika said, wearing her heart on her sleeves.

She and Yayoi walked over to the curb near the park, where Yayoi took out the guitar bag off her shoulders. Mika watched the Enforcer take out the acoustic guitar and tuning it.

"I hope you can gather fans today, Kunizuka-san," Mika told her, starting to fangirl over the stoic Enforcer.

"I like fangirls more than fanboys," Yayoi said with a blush. She found Mika fangirling over her so cute to watch.

Yayoi began to strum her guitar, and her lips open to let out a hum. After some seconds of humming, she began to sing a song, a song which was sung by her band before. But, by now, it was just a cover because she's no longer an official member of the band.

"Oh, look!" a girl said to her boyfriend.

More people started to gather, some of them taking fancams of Yayoi. The Enforcer had a really clear husky voice (you can imagine Utada Hikaru singing to "Drama") that it gravitated people towards her.

"Sugoi ne?" one woman said to a friend.

"Hai!"

And more fancams followed suit. As for Mika, who was standing at the sides, fell even more in love with Yayoi. It was her first time to watch a guerilla gig, and she was just glad that it was done by Yayoi.

~~.

Hinakawa's phone rang in the office, and Akane thought it was his terminal. She turned her attention to the young man, who grabbed the phone inside his pocket to answer the call.

"Hm?" Hinakawa answered. "Uh-huh? Uh-huh?"

Silence.

"Okay."

After dropping the call, Hinakawa decided to check a message he got from his friend, and checked the attachment. It was a video of Yayoi singing in the park. He inserted the head buds to his phone and started to listen, so as not to disturb the Inspector and the Enforcers. Satoh could be very cranky when his catnap or his yawning would be disturbed, he thought, so Hinakawa was keeping the video to himself.

"Whoa! Cool!" he blurted out all of a sudden.

Akane, Ginoza, and Satoh turned to his direction, but Satoh thought it was just some plain child's play, so he continued typing his report while yawning away. Ginoza and Akane thought that someone had given this kid a necessary tip for a case, but by the time they sprinted towards Hinakawa's place, they saw the video of Yayoi singing in the park.

"Ah, Kunizuka used to be in a band," Ginoza shared, and Akane turned to him.

Hinakawa realized someone was watching him, so he abruptly turned around and saw the seniors looking at him.

"I'm sorry," was all he said.

"It's okay," Akane said with a silly grin on her face. "Beside's it's Kunizuka's day-off, and she can do whatever she wants with it."

Ginoza turned to look at Akane. Ever since that night at the soccer field, Akane seemed to mellow down and smiled more often. She smelled less of the cigarette that Kougami had used. The scent was lesser, but it was still there.

"You're still thinking of Kougami, huh," he thought as his soft green eyes studied her.

"Hello everyone," a bored female voice greeted everyone.

All of them, save for Hinakawa, who kept his phone away, turned to the sound of the voice. It was Shion.

"I haven't been here for, like, three weeks already," she absent-mindedly said to no one in particular.

Akane observed the buxom blonde. Shion seemed to be looking for something or someone.

"How may I help you, Karanomori-san?" asked Akane with a smile.

Shion smiled back at Akane. She was glad that the girl looked a bit okay now.

"Kunizuka isn't here," Akane said.

"Oh, I know. I know her schedule, and she's at the park now, doing a gig," was the lab analyst's proud announcement.

Shion turned her attention at Satoh, whose yawning stopped the moment he stared at her chest.

"May I take a look at your hand?" Shion boldly asked the sleepy Enforcer.

"Huh? Oh-kay?" Satoh asked while holding out his hand to her. A blush began to show on his cheeks.

Shion took his hand in that majestic way of hers and examined his palm seriously.

"Hm. You don't look like someone who can scrub the floor properly," was her blunt comment.

"What?" the offended Satoh asked her, making sure she saw his displeasure.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I offended you, Honey," came her sweet tongue. "I am Karanomori Shion, lab analyst from the Analysis Department. I'm Division 1's go-to person."

"Pleased to meet you too, Karanomori-san," Satoh replied with a silly grin. He hadn't met the lab analyst yet since he came in the Bureau because he often was assigned to go with Shimotsuki on the field during his first few weeks. "I'm Satoh Kenji"

Shion smirked and turned her attention to Akane, "Well, I need someone to help me at the warehouse."

She stepped further and saw Hinakawa typing furiously on his keyboard. The shy kid was too engrossed with his work, and Shion was not in the mood to use him because she had a kind heart today. She did not want to abuse a kid to work for her.

"Well, Ginoza-san can assist you," Akane naively recommended.

Shion turned around and saw Ginoza in his seat. She had not noticed that he had taken his otousan's place.

"Ginoza, you don't mind, do you?" she asked him before biting her lower lip.

A ghost of a smile lit up Ginoza's face, "I won't mind."

Akane suddenly saw a subtle something that she could not point out. Shion was looking at Ginoza differently, and Ginoza was staring back at her with a different kind of smirk, like the two of them were hiding something. Akane suddenly remembered two weeks ago when Shion called Ginoza over the phone. He had a different kind of smile on his face. She began to wonder what the heck was happening behind her back.

"Tsunemori, you won't mind Ginoza coming in late this afternoon, will you?" Shion asked the Inspector. "The warehouse needs a major workout. Too much stuff we need to rearrange."

"No, I won't mind," Akane said.

"Please call me when you need me, Tsunemori," Ginoza informed the Inspector before hastily leaving the premises with Shion.

Akane's vision tailed the two, and went to the door to sneak. However, nothing strange occurred to the two as they walked down the hall.

"Hmm…" Akane thought as she went back to her seat.

"Is anything wrong, Inspector?" Satoh's sleepy voice suddenly cut through her thoughts, startling Akane.

"Ah, nothing," she replied with a smile.

As Akane took her place in her seat, Satoh let out a massive yawn and went on with his report.

~~.

Ginoza came in very late inside an empty office that afternoon, and he came in with some dirt on his clothes. He didn't realize the emptiness because all he heard was the soft buzzing of Hinakawa's computer. He could not understand why the heck Kougami allowed himself to be abused by Shion like this before. He remembered once when he chided Shion that Kougami came in late, but before that, Kougami explained he was late for a meeting because Shion called him out to help at the warehouse. Was Kougami the only able-bodied Enforcer out there?

He understood that Kougami and Shion were friends, and in fact, they share the same smoking habit. He was also aware that Shion liked Kougami a lot.

And he suddenly realized. Could it be that Shion tried to cope up with Kougami's loss by acting out her feelings on him? Was the lab analyst just using Ginoza just to forget Kougami? Shion's bi, so she's attracted to both men and women. But if that's the case, Ginoza felt bitter. He didn't want to just be second best in any relationship.

A bitter feeling left an aftertaste in his heart. Just when he started to get a crush on Shion, he realized that Shion might only be using him. Or if not, Shion was just having fun playing around. Or if not, Shion was not really serious about her feelings for Kougami or for him, because she had Yayoi. Whatever it was, he felt bitter. He hated being used, he hated being thrown away. So many things had happened, and he didn't want to be left behind by people again.

Losing his dad was hard. It will take him time to recover. Losing Kagari was hard too, for no one ever knew where the kid was, whether he went MIA or died somewhere in the ground floor during the chase for Makishima. Losing Kougami to being an Enforcer was also hard, but he had started to deal with it. Losing his spot as an Inspector was hard too, but he had dealt with it, thanks to Dime. It's just the loss of people that he hated the most. He's not even sure if he can handle losing Akane, Yayoi, Kenji, and Sho too.

He never knew Shion's real feelings for him except for the fact that she started to secretly flirt with him as well a month earlier. However, if he's just gonna lose her too, he'd better drop his feelings early on so their professional relationship won't get awkward. His head started to spin when he kept thinking if he had also lost to Kougami. He knew Kougami didn't have a thing for Shion, just friendship, but what if? What if something happened between the two of them? What if they did something behind Yayoi's back?

"Damn it!" he muttered.

"Ginoza-san?"

He looked up from his seat and saw Akane. He realized that he was alone in the office.

"Are you all right?" she asked.

He noticed, finally, that the office was empty, and only he and Akane were left.

"Where's Hinakawa and Satoh?"

"Satoh's at the nurse's office," Akane replied. "And Hinakawa's extremely tired. I had him sleep in the quarters."

Akane grabbed a seat and sat in front of the tired Enforcer.

"Are you all right?" she asked again.

Ginoza stared at his dirty shoes. He had to get rid of the dust when he gets to his apartment. He didn't want dirt on his clothes.

"I'm… scared," he mumbled.

"Scared?" Akane asked, trying to get if she understood what she had just heard.

Ginoza looked at her, his green eyes trembling. Akane's eyes went wide open, wondering what scared the Enforcer after just helping out the lab analyst at the warehouse.

"I just realized a lot of things back there," he murmured. "Can I help it? I thought I had moved on… moved on from our losses."

Not trying to pry, Akane seemed to get what he meant. This was the same man who told her not to light a cigar just to think of Kougami.

"I feel like if everyone's gone, including you, I'll be alone again," Ginoza replied.

Akane looked at the 28-year-old Enforcer. Even adults hated losses. Even adults hate being alone.

Her hand adeptly landed on his hand on his lap, and she smiled at him.

"I'll be here for you. I'll do my best to survive, Ginoza-san," she gently replied. "So that you won't be alone. Like I told you before, I also need you."

"Tsunemori…" he whispered. "I… I will also do my best to survive."

"Yes, let's," she said with conviction, and with an assuring smile on her face. "Let's watch each other's back, okay?"

"Yeah, and I'll be the guardian of your hue," Ginoza remarked.

Akane giggled. Her giggled was so gentle and soft like skin of a baby, like Dime's fur when he was still a puppy.

"Oh, yeah, you and Karanomori-san…"

"We're friends," was all Gino could say. He didn't want to tell Akane the real score between him and Shion. "We're just friends. She has Yayoi, remember?"

Akane just nodded along. She didn't take it at face value, but what the heck? If Gino wasn't willing to share it, then, whatever.

Ginoza took his hand from Akane's grasp, and without a signal, leaned forward and wrapped his arms around her. Akane's cheeks went red, but she felt her knees going soft when the Enforcer tapped her back.

"I'll promise to be here for you too, Akane," he whispered, even though they both were still in the office. "Let's deal with our losses and try to move on."

Akane laughed a bitter laugh, her hands still limp at her side, "If only moving on is easy."

Tears started to fall from her eyes as her arms wrapped around Ginoza. She rested her face on his sturdy shoulders and sobbed. She was letting it out on the person who used to be her superior officer, the person who opened a part of himself weeks before. Ginoza continued to wrap her around him as his tears started to fall down as well.

~~.

 _ **(I tried to pair Shion up with Ginoza also, because Shion is bi anyway. And besides, she also looks good with Gino ^_^ And Ginoza is hot too.**_

 _ **Last chapter's about Akane and Kougami, thinking of each other at long distance. Dayum!)**_


	5. Chapter 5

_**Nuneun eonjejjeume kamneunji koneun eotteokhaneunji**_

 _ **Daeche eolmana orae haneunji dodaeche al suga eobseo**_

 _(When should I close my eyes, what about my nose?_

 _Exactly how long should it go on, i really don't know)_

 _ **Listening to FT Island's "First Kiss" because the song is so cute, and Lee Hong Ki has such a nice voice. This is my inspiration for a Yayoi scene below.**_

~~~~.

Ginoza felt much better after crying on Akane's shoulder. He felt like giving advice to his Inspector about forgetting and moving on was hypocritical of him because he himself found moving on taxing. It was easier said than done. It is a cliche, but it holds tons of truth to it. He decided to give up his pretenses, like the way he gave up his pair of glasses.

He lay on bed naked from the waist up, an arm on his forehead, his eyes staring at the ceiling. His room was dimly lit by the night light which he had on every night. The night was still, and even Dime had gone to Dreamland hours ago. He could not even heard a whimper from his dog. He was envious of the dog because the old Siberian did not have to worry about what to eat or how to roam around. Dime was really carefree, and Gino wished he could be Dime even for a day.

The thought of it amused him, but it was also true. Being an Enforcer put on some weight on his shoulders, though lesser compared to being an Inspector, but the losses their team incurred were just as heavy. He was not so sure if crying in front of him had taken the load from Akane, but it felt good to be comforting each other. He hoped he had helped Akane in his own way and had comforted her.

"Damn, please let me sleep," he murmured to himself as closed his eyes.

The feelings will linger, but as they say, time will fade things, even the hurt.

"Will they, really? Time? I wonder how Akane will fare, though," he thought as he removed his arm from his head and lay on his side. "I wonder if she also thinks the same way.

The memory of Akane sobbing on his shoulder was painful enough. If he had not been an Enforcer, he still could guide her through as her senior Inspector, but then, he'd still be the same old critical and harsh Ginoza.

"Was it a blessing in disguise, then?" he pondered. "I still give her advice, but I'm gentle now…"

Just the thought of Akane telling him she won't leave him was comforting, though. He would do the same thing for her, in and out of work.

~~.

Tonight, Yayoi and Shion decided they won't meet. The Enforcer was tired from her second gig that afternoon as more fancams were being taken of her. When fangirls decided to ask for her autograph, she declined them gently without telling them that she's an Enforcer at MWPSB. She did not even give out her name. If she did, the people with clear hues might turn against her for having the Psycho-Pass of a latent criminal. Nothing can change that already. She also did not want people to go through the same thing as she did, getting her hue clouded just by being associated with Takizaki Rina, and being locked up for an indefinite period of time.

Tonight, she spent her hours in the living room of her apartment, listening to a foreign song. She's been branded anyway. Why would Sibyl even take away her right to listen to a foreign song? If she's just listening to a song with lyrics she isn't able to understand, it won't affect her Psycho-Pass, will it?

She just sat on the sofa, strumming her guitar, following to the chords of a Korean song in her phone. Stuck in her ears were a pair of white head buds too. As the singer's soulful voice floated, Yayoi's lips curved into a smile. She understood nothing of the lyrics, but the melody and the singer's voice were so nice to the ears, these make up for the language barrier.

After listening the song for the second time, she waited for it to replay, as she configured in her playlist to play the same song over and over again. Her ears got accustomed to the song, her fingers lazily strumming along, her mind drifting elsewhere.

She was so tired that music was her only diversion for now. So many things happened, it was enough to push everyone to the edge, enough to shatter everyone's expectations of a peaceful ordinary life.

Hinakawa, Shimotsuki, and Satoh had yet to feel the burden of missing team members, Yayoi thought. She had to work hard with her cases so the newbies, especially Satoh, won't have to go through the same thing that she, Ginoza, and Akane had been through. They all worked professionally, the old crew with Kagari, Kougami, and Masaoka, and though she did not spend chill times with these three, a bond had been established already. There was trust, there was love.

"How does one cope up and move on?" she asked herself.

~~.

Akane looked at the treadmill ahead of her. She contemplated on whether to run, or to be a sloth and light up a cigarette in the gym. Her thoughts were hounding her as she sat on the gym floor.

"I can light this at home," she thought.

Akane placed the stick back in the pack and placed the pack back inside her bag. She gingerly got up, as she decided to get on the treadmill to release her stress.

Getting on the treadmill, she pushed on some buttons to the settings of her preference. Not a leisure walk, but a run, she thought, would help her get some things clouding her head. Three evenings before, Ginoza came in the office late, she realized, because when she had to accompany Satoh to the nurse's office, the other Enforcer wasn't around yet. By the time she came back, the Enforcer was motionless on his chair, looking at his shoes. Something must have happened, which was why she took the time to talk to him.

Their convo did not revolve around work. It was… more on opening up and giving up pretending to be strong. It was not weakness to cry. It was just letting someone know that you had not given up, but that you are momentarily tired of being strong and putting up a strong front. A rest wouldn't hurt, and so does a good cry. She felt herself warming up to him, and she knew he did too. It felt good hearing a grown man sniffling, and it felt good to be sobbing in Ginoza-san's arms.

As her feet tried to keep up with the speed of the machine, Akane could not help but smile. It felt good being on friendly terms with Ginoza, the same thing she had done with Kougami. It felt good knowing she and the once-harsh Inspector-turned-Enforcer had something in common, and dealing it together. Yet, thoughts of Kougami continued to keep surfacing in her consciousness. She just couldn't get rid of it.

She knew that everyone does have a different way of moving on, different times of moving on. When can you say you had moved on? When can you say that the pain of a first love is a scent that no longer lingers, an ink that has been washed away, or that last few drops of rain that fall after a night of heavy rain?

Nobody can tell her how to get over him. Nobody can tell her how to move on, or when the pain will dissipate. She was one to accept things easily, and does not give in to stress that much, but she was afraid that stress and overthinking about Kougami could cloud her hue. But she's confident that her Psycho-Pass will remain healthy, like it always had.

A finger tapped the stop button. Her finger.

A pair of knees fell on the belt of the treadmill, and a tear or two dropped. Akane's hand cupped her mouth so as not to betray her sounds of pain. Two months? It wasn't easy to just give your feelings up, especially if you had invested on it. Though she looked at Kougami as a colleague at work, there was that pure something in him that her soul was gravitated to. She knew she was a fool for clinging to him, but she could not help it. Kougami was the alluring scent that her olfactory sense continues to inhale like it's the air that's keeping her alive. He was an ink blotched into her fabric that it was not easy to remove. He was the heavy drops of rain that touches her skin on a heavy storm. Kougami was still deeply embedded into her. Plucking him off sent excruciating and throbbing pain. It's still there, until now.

"Just let me deal with losing you in my own way, Kougami-san," she weeped. "If I can't get over you, then I can't get over you. If I never will, I might never will. I just hope we will meet. And I will wait for you to return…"

Muffled cries and unrestricted tears accompanied her that night, just like all the other nights alone in her apartment.

~~.

Somewhere outside of Japan, among the lush thick forests, huffs and puffs could be heard in the dead of the night. Sounds which seemed like an object hitting a tree trunk soon followed. The moon was crystal clear because of the clean air, and the trails of moonlight shone, but filtered among the foliage of the trees. Down below, a figure of a muscular man, who was naked from the waist up, was seen jabbing a tree trunk in five strokes, and hitting it with strong kicks after the fifth jab. The routine continued for a time. After some few good minutes, the figure leaned on the trunk and looked at the moonlight filtered through the leaves.

He was heavily panting after all that exercise. His dark and watchful eyes surveyed the night, but he wore a bored expression on his face. And he was in deep thought.

Kougami Shinya, the man who escaped the eyes of Sibyl. He was roaming in utmost clandestine, thankful for his freedom. Soon, he would be going into some nation where free will isn't suppressed. Who knows what tomorrow will greet him with? Will he be a worker? Will he be a detective? Will he be a rebel? Who knows?

Or, will someone who knows him kill him?

Memories of the past began to resurface. He began to think of his former Enforcer Sasayama and Saiga-sensei. He began to think of the people in Division 1. But the person he thought of the most was Tsunemori Akane. How is she doing? Is Ginoza still berating her for the little things? Is she doing fine and moving on without him?

Tsunemori is still young, he thought, eight years his junior. She still has a great life ahead. She can still meet a great guy. Who knows? Sibyl might even hook her up with an Inspector (Gino not included, he chuckled to himself. He didn't have a clue that his former BFF was demoted), though he preferred that Akane chooses a man to love rather than let a system do it for her. Or she could get learn lots, solve many cases, deduce like he does, and make a great detective. She could change the system from within and uphold law and justice, and protect society. If she were an answer to his prayers, he'd rather see that prayer answered from afar, or answered from out of his sight. No, he has no intentions of coming back to Japan if Sibyl is just going to stay. Even if the system itself is upgraded or improved, he'd still not going to cooperate. All be damned, he thought.

His heart ached a bit at the thought of Akane crying over him for his absence and over a promise he could not fulfill. It was for the best that they'll be apart, he reasoned out. Akane can change the system as an insider, and he was confident she can do that. As he was not willing to work within the system, he's just going to expense justice from outside. But he sincerely hope that Akane will do well.

As he wiped the sweat off his cheeks, he remembered the spot where Shion kissed him before he left. He was hoping Shion would keep her promise to look after Akane for him. He could rely on her to do that, he was sure. He was hoping everyone at Division 1 will look after one another.

"Goodbye Tsunemori. Sorry I cannot say it to you in person," he thought. "I hope we'll meet again someday."

His fingers drifted towards his luscious abs and tapped it. He remembered Akane staring at him one time after practice. And he remembered her being speechless.

"She's really cute, isn't she?" he asked himself.

A handsome smirk was on his face. He was sure they'd meet again. The feeling deep within him was telling him they will eventually cross paths again. Deep down, he knew that Akane misses him just as he misses her too, and he hoped that when the time comes that they meet, they will meet on good terms.

"I'll anticipate meeting you, Tsunemori," he thought with a smile.

-END-

 _ **(Still listening to "First Kiss" and looping it in my playlist. ^_^ )**_


End file.
